THE DAY THAT JOHN LENNON DIED

8th December 1980 – a date that will be etched upon the lips of the Beatles generation, for the rest of their very lives. Well, it was the day that John Lennon died you know! As well as a reason for this documentary to highlight this tragic stain upon the face of history, with this one hour documentary made in 2010.

THE STORY:
Thirty years after the death of John Lennon, this documentary charters’ the events surrounding his tragic demise, as told by the people who were there at the time.

You see, to help chronicle this sordid tale, numerous’ interviews have been recorded with such people as photographers and celebrities who knew John, media personal whom have interviewed John, as well as the police and the medical personal who attended to John.

Also, in addition to all of this, there's a plethora of archive footage, still photos, and music, of John and Yoko’s life together, capturing who the man was before his death.

Here is the basic overlay of what happens in this program:

The Beatles minus Lennon: A brief glimpse of John’s personality is recounted by both his wife and his friends, explaining his life before the Beatles in Liverpool, as well as his life in New York afterwards’. The aspects relayed relates to John’s ‘Lost Weekend’ in Los Angeles – his childhood liaisons with Thelma Pickles – his music career with Yoko – and the love that John had for his new family.

The Interviews: In the lead up to John Lennon’s murder, he had two separate radio interviews with an American and a British reporter. At the time. both of them noted that John was in good spirits, as well as how he seemed to have a lot of plan’s for his future.

The Photographers: Two photographer’s recount there own relationships with John, most notably is amateur photographer, Paul Goresh, who managed to take a picture of John with his killer mere hours before he committed this grizzly deed.

The Death: John Lennon was shot dead whilst walking into his apartment by an unhinged fan. From then on in, it was up to the police to take him to the hospital, it was up to the doctors to try and save him, and it was up to a cub reporter to relay this news to the outside world.

John Lennon’s memory will never be forgotten, because it will be on the minds of all of his fans around the world, as well as in his music too.

Love light and peace.

THE REVIEW:
Now for only a one hour documentary, 'The Day That John Lennon Died' sure has a lot to say all in all. You see, it focuses all of its energies into the intricate details of John's life, by distilling them down to a specific place and time. Granted, at the beginning and the end of this piece, it does relay some additional information about who John was and what he meant to other people. Overall, though, its perspective is narrow and precise in both the build up and the aftermath of this ex-Beatles death.

Still, does any of this make this documentary any good? Personally speaking, yes – yes it does. In a subliminal way, this feature plays out like Rashomon – with different people giving there story from different points of view.

For example, to begin with, their is Johns friends, family, and associates – whom tell of there time with this man, how he seemed prior to his death, and how they felt afterwards. Then there is the perspective of Paul Goresh – the amateur photographer who took that fateful picture of John with his killer. Paul’s recount, like many of the others, is an emotional one, and he lends this documentary that missing ingredient which joins both the personal tale and the tragic aftermath together quite nicely. And finally, there is the police, the doctors, and the medias role in this story – all of them being able to relay a cohesive tale together, but all of them from a very different angel.

Personally speaking, I found this to be a really great documentary about a really sad subject. At times’, I found myself so engrossed in what the people were saying, that the concept of time almost had no meaning to me (please note, I am big John Lennon fan). Moreover, the emotions that came swelling out of the numerous interviews, seemed so poignant to me, that I wanted to cry.

Heck, it is never nice to see someone cry – no matter whom it is – and crying was just something that is par of the course in ‘The Day That John Lennon Died’.

It is humbling in nature – expressive in tone – and emotional at its core. Well, let’s face it, John's death was a tragic waste of a good man’s life – and this message was blatantly uttered by everyone who was a part of this documentary.

Now if you are a fan of John, the Beatles, or true crime in general, this film is something that you have to watch. Because it presents a fresh and emotional take on a fresh and emotional man. Correct, Paul Goresh?